Category Archives: Sexual harassment

Salmond’s acquittal could make him the SNP’s biggest challenge

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Nicola Sturgeon’s party is now in the sights of its vindicated and emboldened ex-leader

When Nicola Sturgeon addressed a private gathering of Scottish National party politicians at Edinburgh Napier University towards the end of August 2018 and little more than a week after the original sexual harassment allegations against her predecessor Alex Salmond were made public, she spoke frankly: “How we deal with this and how we are seen to respond to this will say a lot about who we are as a party and also about the country we are today and want to build for the future.”

Speaking outside the high court in Edinburgh on Monday afternoon following his acquittal on 13 charges of sexual assault, Alex Salmond suggested that the verdicts would ultimately say something very different about the SNP. He referred to “certain evidence I would like to have seen led in this trial”, which would now “see the light of day”. Sources close to the former first minister were already briefing his belief that Nicola Sturgeon herself played a role.

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‘You ruined my premiere!’: Beckinsale recalls Weinstein’s obscenity-filled rant

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Kate Beckinsale claims disgraced movie mogul was enraged when she wore white suit rather than ‘tight dress’ to New York premiere shortly after 9/11

Kate Beckinsale has described an obscenity-filled rant by Harvey Weinstein in which he allegedly called her “stupid fucking cunt” after he objected to her choice of outfit for a film premiere in 2001.

In a post on social media, Beckinsale outlined events after a screening for the romcom Serendipity, in which she starred opposite John Cusack. She said Weinstein insisted on holding the premiere only a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks, calling it “the most insensitive, tone deaf, disrespectful idea possible”. Beckinsale said Weinstein had arranged for her to visit his home with her two-year-old daughter, and then launched a tirade at her when they were alone.

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Save the Children ‘let down’ staff and public over sexual misconduct claims

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Charity Commission condemns ‘serious failures’ in handling of harassment allegations against senior staff

Save the Children “let down” its staff and the wider public over its handling of alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by senior managers, according to a fiercely critical report published on Thursday.

The Charity Commission said the organisation’s handling of complaints against its former chief executive, Justin Forsyth, and Brendan Cox, its former policy director, amounted to mismanagement and had a “corrosive effect” on the organisation’s culture. The charity must work hard to rebuild its reputation, said the commission.

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Save the Children chief resists calls to quit after damning watchdog inquiry

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Charity Commission accuses organisation of mishandling sexual harassment allegations levelled at former senior staff

The head of one of Britain’s biggest charities resisted calls to resign on Wednesday after a damning inquiry into the organisation’s handling of allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour against senior managers.

A Charity Commission investigation into Save the Children’s handling of claims against Justin Forsyth and Brendan Cox, respectively the charity’s former chief executive and policy director, will be published on Thursday.

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Plácido Domingo says harassment apology gave ‘false impression’

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Spanish opera singer says his words had been misunderstood after apology triggers backlash

Plácido Domingo has rowed back on an apology he made over sexual harassment allegations just two days earlier, after his mea culpa triggered a backlash and cancellations in Spain.

The Spanish opera singer, who faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment, apologised on Tuesday for “the hurt” caused to his accusers, saying he accepted “full responsibility” for his actions. But on Thursday, the 79-year-old insisted his words had been misunderstood.

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Students slam Cambridge over handling of sexual misconduct cases

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Don in charge of student welfare at Trinity Hall gave evidence on behalf of male student accused of rape

Hundreds of Cambridge students have accused the university of “a complete failure” to deal with complaints of sexual misconduct after an investigation that raised concerns about a conflict of interest among academics.

In a letter signed by more than 500 current and former students, Cambridge University Students’ Union Women’s Campaign has called for colleges to be stripped of their powers to investigate sexual misconduct complaints against their own members.

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Harvey Weinstein trial nears final act after defence rests

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Movie producer ‘loved’ closing remarks of his lawyer, who questioned motives of accusers

Harvey Weinstein looked cheerful at the end of five hours of closing remarks in the New York supreme court, despite facing possible life imprisonment.

As he trundled down the corridor on his walking frame, smiling broadly at reporters, he was asked what he thought of the final pitch to the jury made by his lead lawyer, Donna Rotunno. “I loved it,” he said. “I called it the Queen’s speech.”

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More than half of women in Zimbabwe have faced sextortion, finds survey

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Widespread corruption and deteriorating economy have contributed to rise in sexual bribery, say researchers

Zimbabwe has recorded an unprecedented number of women reporting being forced to exchange sex for employment or business favours.

More than 57% of women surveyed by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) said they had been forced to offer sexual favours in exchange for jobs, medical care and even when seeking placements at schools for their children.

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Harvey Weinstein: fourth accuser opts out of settlement to pursue own claim

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Exclusive: Dominique Huett says settlement amount ‘not very fair’ and joins growing list of women to reject proposed deal

A controversial proposed settlement between Harvey Weinstein and alleged victims of his sexual misconduct faces further delays, as a fourth accuser opts out and several others plan to object.

Related: Harvey Weinstein trial: how finding an impartial jury became a spectacle

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Charlize Theron details sexual harassment by ‘famous director’

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Actor and producer of a film about Fox News head Roger Ailes describes self-blame and anger about alleged incident early in her career

Charlize Theron has spoken in detail about her experience of sexual harassment at the start of her acting career, saying she found it frustrating that she “didn’t do all of those things that we so want to believe we’ll do in those situations”.

Theron was speaking to NPR to coincide with the release of Bombshell, a drama about the ousting of Fox News head Roger Ailes over accusations of sexual harassment, in which she plays former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.

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Man who slapped female reporter’s bottom on live TV arrested

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  • Incident was broadcast during Savannah running event
  • Reporter Alex Bozarjian felt ‘violated, objectified’ by slap

A Georgia man who was videotaped slapping a female reporter’s bottom on live TV was arrested on Friday on a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery.

Related: Los Angeles police officer charged with groping dead woman's breast

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African countries a ‘new frontier for child sexual exploitation’, warns report

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Researchers draw link between weak regulation of travel industry and rising levels of sex tourism and online sexual crime

Weak laws regulating sexual exploitation in travel and tourism are turning the African continent into a “new frontier for child sexual exploitation”, according to a new report.

The study, by the African Child Policy Forum, sheds light on the continued rise of child sexual exploitation, including new forms such as “tourism marriages” and cybersex.

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New UNAids chief vows to stamp out sexual misconduct and abuse of power

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Winnie Byanyima says known cases of sexual harassment were ‘tip of the iceberg’ as she pledges to restore trust in organisation

The new head of scandal-hit UNAids has vowed to transform the agency’s culture to safeguard staff not only from sexual harassment – which she called “the tip of the iceberg” – but any abuse of power by those at the top.

Winnie Byanyima said she would draw on lessons learned following allegations of sexual misconduct at Oxfam, of which she was international executive director until earlier this year, to address problems at the UN agency.

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Catholic priests in Argentina sentenced to 45 years for child abuse

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Court convicts two priests and former gardener at school for deaf students on counts of sexual abuse and corruption of minors

A court in Argentina has convicted two Roman Catholic priests and the former gardener of a church-run school for deaf students on 28 counts of sexual abuse and corruption of minors, in a case that has shaken the church in Pope Francis’s homeland.

A three-judge panel in the city of Mendoza sentenced Nicola Corradi to 42 years and Horacio Corbacho to 45 years for abusing children at the Antonio Provolo Institute for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children in Lujan de Cuyo, a municipality in north-western Argentina.

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UN agency to take ‘aggressive’ action if sexual abuse claims substantiated

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An internal survey revealed hundreds of allegations of abuse, including rape and sexual assault, at the World Food Programme

The head of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has vowed to take “aggressive” action against sex abusers, following an internal survey that found multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault at the agency.

“If we have a claim of rape by anyone in the WFP, if we can substantiate, I can’t begin to tell you how aggressive” actions will be, executive director David Beasley told news agency Associated Press.

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The women who broke the Harvey Weinstein story – podcast

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When Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey began investigating Harvey Weinstein, they had no idea it would ignite a global reckoning on sexual harassment resulting in #MeToo. And: Rafael Behr on the likelihood of a winter election

In the summer of 2017, the New York Times journalist Megan Twohey was on maternity leave when she received a call from a colleague, Jodi Kantor. The two had never spoken before, but Kantor was working on a story and needed Twohey’s help. It was an investigation into the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. What they uncovered became one of the biggest stories of our times, launching a global movement.

Rachel Humphreys talks to the journalists about how they convinced prominent actors and former Weinstein employees to speak to them, the lengths Weinstein was willing to go to in an attempt to prevent the story from becoming public, and what more needs to be done about sexual harassment in the workplace.

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Nusrat Jahan Rafi: 16 sentenced to death over Bangladesh murder

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Student set on fire after refusing to withdraw sexual harassment claim against headteacher

Sixteen Bangladeshis have been sentenced to death for the murder of a 19-year-old student, Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was burned to death in April after complaining of being sexually harassed by her school principal.

Among those found guilty were former members of the school’s administration, teachers and pupils – 12 of the 16 having confessed to participating in the killing in which Rafi was lured on to the school’s roof, doused in paraffin and set alight.

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Aid agencies accused of failure to make good on Oxfam abuse scandal pledges

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MPs point to lack of progress on promised safeguarding improvements for whistleblowers and survivors

MPs have accused aid organisations of “dragging their feet” over combating sexual exploitation and abuse in the sector, despite safeguarding pledges made in 2018 after the Oxfam abuse scandal.

Work to improve protection and support for whistleblowers has “stalled”, and more needs to be done to protect survivors, a report by the UK international development committee (IDC) has said.

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#MeToo and the justice system: complaints up, but convictions down

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UK lawyers say more women are coming forward, but are police and prosecutors ready?

The clearest impact of the #MeToo movement on the British justice system has been a sharp rise in the number of complaints made to police of rape and sexual assault over the past two years.

That surge, however, has coincided with a chaotic response by police and prosecutors, who have been engulfed in problems over disclosure and allegations they have refined their approach to the crime in order to improve conviction rates, although this has been denied by the Crown Prosecution Service.

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Which city is the worst for sexual harassment on public transport?

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As reports of sexual harassment on the London underground soar, studies say the issue is the number-one safety risk facing girls and women worldwide

It’s 8am at Oxford Circus tube station and the Central line platforms are teeming with people. Stony-faced business types, rucksack-touting tourists and yawning schoolchildren jostle for space in the rush-hour crush.

But among the crowds of commuters is another group waiting to board the train – a covert patrol of plainclothed officers looking to catch sexual predators in the act.

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